Brunhilde

In Icelandic and German mythology, Brunhilde was a strong and beautiful
princess who was cruelly deceived by her lover. Her story is told in the
Edda
poems of Iceland and the
Nibelungenlied,
a German
epic
of the 1200s. Her name also appears as Brünhild, Brunhilda, or
Brynhild.

In the Icelandic version of the legend, Brunhilde was a Valkyrie—a
warrior maiden of the supreme god Odin. Because she was disobedient, Odin
punished Brunhilde by causing her to fall into everlasting sleep
surrounded by a wall of fire. The hero Sigurd crossed through the flames
and woke the maiden with a kiss. They became engaged, but Sigurd left to
continue his travels. Later, after receiving a magic potion to make him
forget his love for Brunhilde, Sigurd married Gudrun (Kriemhild).

Gudruns brother Gunnar wanted Brunhilde for himself and persuaded Sigurd
to help him. Disguising himself as Gunnar, Sigurd pursued Brunhilde. Later
Brunhilde realized she had been tricked and arranged to have Sigurd
murdered. When she learned of his death, however, she was overcome with
grief and committed suicide by throwing herself on his funeral
pyre.
In that way, she could join him in death.

epic
long poem about legendary or historical heroes, written in a grand
style

pyre
pile of wood on which a dead body is burned in a funeral ceremony

In the
Nibelungenlied,
the story was slightly different. Brunhilde declared that the man she
would marry must be able to out-perform her in feats of strength and
courage. Siegfried (Sigurd), disguised as Gunther (Gunnar), passed the
test and won Brunhilde for Gunther. When she discovered the deception, she
arranged for Siegfried to be killed. The German composer Richard Wagner
based his opera cycle
The Ring of the Nibelung
on these legends.